GRANT, Herbert
| Service Number: | 5102 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 January 1916, Brisbane, Qld. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 31st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia, 19 June 1897 |
| Home Town: | Redcliffe, Moreton Bay, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Redcliffe Provisional and Humpybong State Schools, Queensland, Australia, |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 14 March 1917, aged 19 years |
| Cemetery: |
Beaulencourt British Cemetery, Ligny-Thilloy Plot IV, Row G, Grave No 27 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Redcliffe Humpybong Roll of Honor, Woody Point Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 6 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5102, 25th Infantry Battalion, Brisbane, Qld. | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 5102, 25th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Choon embarkation_ship_number: A49 public_note: '' | |
| 4 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 5102, 25th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Choon, Brisbane | |
| 14 Mar 1917: | Involvement Private, 5102, 31st Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 5102 awm_unit: 31st Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-03-14 |
Narrative
GRANT Herbert #5102 31st Battalion
Herbert Grant was born and raised in Redcliffe. He lived with his parents Walter and Annie Grant in Sutton Street. His father reported that Herbert had attended Redcliffe Provisional School. Walter also reported that Herbert worked as a baker but Herbert when enlisting stated he was a labourer.
Herbert was 18 ½ years old when he presented for enlistment in Brisbane on 6th January 1916. Since he was under 21 he would have required his parent’s permission to enlist. There is no such document in his file so perhaps his father accompanied him on the steamer to Brisbane or the enlisting officer waived the requirement.
Herbert presented himself to Fraser’s Paddock, Enoggera and was posted into the 14th Depot Battalion on 25th March. He was originally assigned as a reinforcement for the 25th Battalion which at that time was in Egypt after evacuating Gallipoli; however, he was instead assigned as a reinforcement for the 31st Battalion. Herbert embarked for overseas on 4th May 1916 and allocated 3 shillings of his daily pay of 5 shillings to his mother.
Disembarking in Egypt, Herbert was to spend some six weeks in camp before boarding ship for England where he spent some time at a training camp at Rollestone on Salisbury Plain. During this time, he was charged with disobeying an order from a superior and was given 7 days detention. Finally, in October of that year, Herbert caught a ferry from Folkestone to France and was taken on strength by the 31st Battalion.
The 31st Battalion was being rotated in and out of the line during the latter part of 1916 and had to endure one of the coldest winters every recorded. Unsurprisingly Herbert was admitted to Hospital on two occasions in November and again in February 1917.
The situation on the Western Front had stagnated when the Somme offensives of 1916 had ground to a halt for the winter. The spring of 1917 saw some unusual movements by the Germans. During the winter, a line of well-constructed fortifications had been built by the Germans well to the east of their current positions. This new line of defence was known to the Germans as the Seigfreid Line but the British and French called it the Hindenburg Line.
In the spring, the defences were ready and the enemy began a strategic withdrawal to the new line, abandoning their positions at Pozieres and Theipval which they had so strongly defended in the summer and autumn of 1916. As the enemy withdrew, the Australian Divisions cautiously followed, encountering often heavy resistance. One of the key towns along the route was Bapaume. In March of 1917, the 31st Battalion were on the outskirts of Bapaume, actively patrolling to test the enemy’s defences as they withdrew.
On the 14th March, the 31st Battalion War Diary records that a small party of 8 ordinary ranks led by a sergeant from “B” Company were tasked with penetrating along an enemy held trench to ascertain likely strength prior to a larger operation. One of the 8 privates was Herbert Grant. The party set off at 8:30pm but were soon exposed to illumination by German flares. Two machine guns opened up and the party suffered 5 casualties, one of whom was Herbert, Killed in Action.
It was reported that he was buried about 1 ¾ miles southwest of Bapaume. His parents would have received the fateful telegram which began with the words “I regret to advise…..” In November, Herbert’s mother signed for a parcel of Herbert’s personal effects which included an identity disc, a wallet and comb, photos, letters and cards.
In 1922, Walter Grant received his son’s war medals, a memorial bronze plaque and a scroll with a message from the King. The family were also advised in 1925 that Herbert’s remains had been reinterred from the field to the Beaulencourt British Cemetery with a headstone listing his name, number, unit and date of death. Three photographs of the grave were enclosed with the letter.
Submitted 29 August 2022 by Ian Lang
Biography contributed by Ian Lang
GRANT Herbert #5102 31st Battalion
Herbert Grant was born and raised in Redcliffe. He lived with his parents Walter and Annie Grant in Sutton Street. His father reported that Herbert had attended Redcliffe Provisional School. Walter also reported that Herbert worked as a baker but Herbert when enlisting stated he was a labourer.
Herbert was 18 ½ years old when he presented for enlistment in Brisbane on 6th January 1916. Since he was under 21 he would have required his parent’s permission to enlist. There is no such document in his file so perhaps his father accompanied him on the steamer to Brisbane or the enlisting officer waived the requirement.
Herbert presented himself to Fraser’s Paddock, Enoggera and was posted into the 14th Depot Battalion on 25th March. He was originally assigned as a reinforcement for the 25th Battalion which at that time was in Egypt after evacuating Gallipoli; however, he was instead assigned as a reinforcement for the 31st Battalion. Herbert embarked for overseas on 4th May 1916 and allocated 3 shillings of his daily pay of 5 shillings to his mother.
Disembarking in Egypt, Herbert was to spend some six weeks in camp before boarding ship for England where he spent some time at a training camp at Rollestone on Salisbury Plain. During this time, he was charged with disobeying an order from a superior and was given 7 days detention. Finally, in October of that year, Herbert caught a ferry from Folkestone to France and was taken on strength by the 31st Battalion.
The 31st Battalion was being rotated in and out of the line during the latter part of 1916 and had to endure one of the coldest winters every recorded. Unsurprisingly Herbert was admitted to Hospital on two occasions in November and again in February 1917.
The situation on the Western Front had stagnated when the Somme offensives of 1916 had ground to a halt for the winter. The spring of 1917 saw some unusual movements by the Germans. During the winter, a line of well-constructed fortifications had been built by the Germans well to the east of their current positions. This new line of defence was known to the Germans as the Seigfreid Line but the British and French called it the Hindenburg Line.
In the spring, the defences were ready and the enemy began a strategic withdrawal to the new line, abandoning their positions at Pozieres and Theipval which they had so strongly defended in the summer and autumn of 1916. As the enemy withdrew, the Australian Divisions cautiously followed, encountering often heavy resistance. One of the key towns along the route was Bapaume. In March of 1917, the 31st Battalion were on the outskirts of Bapaume, actively patrolling to test the enemy’s defences as they withdrew.
On the 14th March, the 31st Battalion War Diary records that a small party of 8 ordinary ranks led by a sergeant from “B” Company were tasked with penetrating along an enemy held trench to ascertain likely strength prior to a larger operation. One of the 8 privates was Herbert Grant. The party set off at 8:30pm but were soon exposed to illumination by German flares. Two machine guns opened up and the party suffered 5 casualties, one of whom was Herbert, Killed in Action.
It was reported that he was buried about 1 ¾ miles southwest of Bapaume. His parents would have received the fateful telegram which began with the words “I regret to advise…..” In November, Herbert’s mother signed for a parcel of Herbert’s personal effects which included an identity disc, a wallet and comb, photos, letters and cards.
In 1922, Walter Grant received his son’s war medals, a memorial bronze plaque and a scroll with a message from the King. The family were also advised in 1925 that Herbert’s remains had been reinterred from the field to the Beaulencourt British Cemetery with a headstone listing his name, number, unit and date of death. Three photographs of the grave were enclosed with the letter.
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Herbert's parents were Walter Grant and Annie Knowles who lived in Sutton Street, Redcliffe and Herbert attended Humpybong State School. Walter was a baker. He was elected mayor of Redcliffe Town Council in 1921. Herbert enlisted the same day as Arthur McKillop. They were both 18 years of age. He was sent overseas in May 1916 and saw active service in Egypt before being sent on to France towards the end of 1916. Herbert was killed in action at the age of 19 years 8 months and just over a year after he enlisted.
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